Dead lion accorded last rites by Bhopal zoo authorities

Bhopal, Sept 20 : Officials of the 'Van Vihar' zoo in Bhopal performed the last rites of a 19-year lion.

The lion was brought to the zoo in 2006 after being rescued from a circus.

The death of the lion, 'Badal', comes after that of Rini, the only white tigress of the zoo that died last week.

"Badal was brought to the zoo after being rescued from Rajmahal circus. It died a natural death due to old age. At present, the Van Vihar zoo has 12 tigers, 14 lions and 16 panthers," said S.S Rajput, Director, Van Vihar.

The zoo is now planning to induct more animals, including a white tigress.

Asiatic lions are different from African lions with a characteristic skin fold on their bellies and thinner manes on the males.

Wildlife activists say the lions are also under threat from thousands of villagers living in and around the forests and want them to be relocated to save the endangered species.

India is also struggling to save its endangered tigers, as people invade their habitat and poachers kill them for body parts that fetch huge sums in the international black market.

ANI